Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/85437
TES T DRIVE Cab comfort The Pinnacle has good driver's seat travel and an adjustable steering column, so it's easy to set the driving position to the pedals and get the wheel just right. So it really is a cruise with the transmission dropping gears on the long climbs — sometimes one, sometimes two, almost never three — as the Mack MP8 really gets down and goes. The driver display is a triumph. Gauges Gauges are well-organized, fitting within the arc of the wheel. Mack Pinnacle axle-back Frame: Mack, 266-by-90-by-8 mm Engine: Mack MP8 505C 13-liter, 505 hp, 1,760 lb.-ft. torque Engine brake: Mack Powerleash Transmission: Mack mDrive tMD 12AO automated mechanical 12-speed overdrive Wheelbase: 233 inches Front axle: 12,000-pound dual taper-leaf suspension Rear axle: Mack S40C, 40,000 pounds, 3.25:1 ratio Suspension: Mack 40,000-pound air-ride Fifth wheel: Fontaine air slide Seats: Mack proprietary Ultra-Leather Interior: Grand Touring Other: Mack 70-inch mid-rise sleeper; roof fairing, skirts, side extenders; exterior sun visor; heated, motorized mirrors; 160-amp alternator; Borg Warner on/off fan clutch; gear reduction starter; Davco 482 fuel/water separator are clear and neatly organized around the steering wheel. Moreover, the column control stalk has only an up/down rocker, and the enter and escape buttons. I had assumed, because the control stalk was the same as Volvo's, that the rest of the system would be too, but it's an entirely different interface and it's even easier to use than Volvo's. Leather seats sit nicely far apart. Even with armrests, there's a full 14 inches of walk-through to the sleeper. However, because the center console stack has big cup holders, a handy shelf and a large storage bin, the seats have to be pushed back when standing up from either seat. There's the usual storage in the header and rather stylishly trimmed door pockets. The cab floor had a thick, fitted- rubber mat that no doubt contributed to the low noise levels in this Pinnacle. I spent no time in the sleeper, but the shelves would accommodate duffels and sleeping bags fitted high on each side with a provision on the passenger side for a television and other electronics. Beneath this is a wardrobe, and there's copious storage under the bunk. One great interior feature is back-of-cab access via the driver-side steps. Mack brand. A feature of this profile is EconoBoost, an on-demand torque boost when the full throttle is held for three seconds. The engine adds as much as 200 lb.-ft. at any speed from 1,300 rpm. It takes an intelligent transmission 34 OVERDRIVE JUNE 2012 to account for that. The mDrive has common mechanicals with the automated Volvo I-Shift, but it's by no means the same transmission. It has unique programming to match it to Mack engines and their distinct power and torque curves. Threading my way out of the Kentucky Fairgrounds, I was impressed by the way it picked up gears, yet idled easily in traffic. The seating provides an excellent view over the sloping hood, and well-placed mirrors allow comprehensive visibility. (Continued on Page 60)